Just a Child
by number1brawlfan
Summary: When Dick gets hit by a new iteration of the Joker's Joker Venom, he is turned into an eight year old child. While Bruce tries to find a way to fix the problem, both he and Damian get to experience the joy that is the lively yet familiar antics of an eight year old former Boy Wonder.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's the newest Batman oriented fic. This was the winner of a poll that I had done about a month or so ago. I thought it would be fun to create a story where Dick was a child again. One thing that I want to put out there in regards to Dick's predicament is that while he is a child, he does have will have all of his memories. I know with some de-aged fics, the character in question may not remember their present self's life. For mine, he will remember everything (which will be stated in the next chapter), but he can only comprehend it on the grounds of being a child. With that he may comprehend it from his own experience and personality at that age as compared to say Damian at that age if that makes sense. Also, with the Joker, I kind of bounce between 'the Joker' and 'Joker' the latter only for when he's talking. I wan't sure which to go with, because in some cases people might use 'Joker' while others use "the Joker". If you think I should go with one or the other, let me know which one and I'll go with that.**

 **Now regardless of whether or not you've read my previous piece Breaking You I'm going to approach Damian's character a little differently than I did in that story. If you have read it than you know how I approached Damian's reaction to the situation, but for those who haven't I focused on Damian being his serious and adult (I think that's the word I'm looking for) like nature, but aggressively protective of his family, specifically Dick, as the story went on. In this fic, I'm still gone to have Damian serious nature, but I'm also going to look into him more annoyed (and potentially jealous) approach to the situation. I know there are a number of qualities that Damian has, but I'm focusing on certain ones given the situation.**

 **With that said, I hope enjoy the first chapter.**

* * *

It was meant to be a simple visit to Gotham. Having finally gotten some time off for the first time in over a month, Dick wanted to see Bruce and Damian. Unfortunately, arriving after the Joker made another Arkham escape, wasn't what he had in mind for a welcoming party. He now found himself joining Batman and Robin in their chase.

"You're early." Batman noted. "You said you'd be here in the morning."

"Got off work early." Dick replied. "Don't tell me you want me gone already."

"Please, you've always been a nuisance Nightwing." Damian bluntly stated, rolling his eyes. "No matter when you show up or how long you stay around."

"I missed you too Robin."

Florescent lights would stop their arguing as the colorful, yet vacant carnival grounds greeted them. Not wanting to immediately split up, Batman had Robin and Nightwing tag along for the initial scan. As they approached the hall of mirrors, a crazed laugh erupted through the air.

"Don't you just love carnivals?" Joker spontaneously inquired, waltzing out of the tent. "The sights, the sounds, the children running around having fun. Though that's not why you're here, now is it?"

"You robbed a pharmacy and blew up a neighboring party store," Damian sarcastically snapped, "what do you think?"

Another amused cackle escaped from the Joker, not surprised by his response.

"Always to the point, aren't we? But what if I told you I'm not ready to go back?"

With the snap of a finger, several of his goons began to emerge from the shadows. Taking a few steps back, the Joker watched as they ambushed the vigilante trio.

Finally deciding to split up, Batman, Robin, and Nightwing each went after several of the goons. Robin took on three to four men at once, seeing it as not much of a problem. Nightwing would have just as much ease as his successor. Making his way in the Joker's general direction, Batman plowed through a few of his men. However, with each goon he disarmed there were two more waiting to take their turn.

As he knocked a goon out, the silhouette of the Joker caught Nightwing's eye. Noticing the clown reach for something in his coat, Nightwing was suspicious of the Joker's focused attention on Batman. When a small gun shaped weapon was brought out, Nightwing instantly took the initiative, decking the goon between him and his target.

"Move!" Nightwing shouted, shoving Batman aside the crisp sound of a gun erupted.

"Nightwing!" Batman called out, as he regained his footing.

There was no response as Nightwing was lying on the ground, gas dissipating. He was breathing, but he didn't appear to be conscious. Batman's attention immediately shifted to the one responsible for it.

"And that's my cue." Joker playfully announced, throwing his toy aside and running off.

Batman bolted after the Joker, leaving Robin to deal with the Joker's remaining henchmen.

Returning to the scene, Batman would hand the Joker over to the authorities. He would then make his way over to his companions. Robin would approach his father, a puzzled frown contemplating some form of issue.

"Father, we have a bit of a situation." Robin admitted, revealing what should have been an unconscious body.

* * *

Hazy surroundings began to form as Dick began to wake up. The dim lighting of the Batcave graced his line of sight. A deep sigh escaped, alerting Bruce and Damian that he was conscious.

"Take it easy." Bruce calmly whispered, one hand keeping Dick down until he was completely alert. "You go hit by a small gas pelt. The newest of the Joker's experiments." A sigh left Bruce. "I want to thank you for what you did, but that was a bit reckless on your part."

"I know," Dick dryly replied, "but I didn't want to take any chances."

It didn't take long for Dick to create a puzzled expression. Blinking a few times, he noticed that something was wrong. Slowly sitting up, he looked to Bruce for answers.

"What happened to my voice?" He asked, a hand hovering over his throat.

"About that," Bruce began, "I'm not sure how to put this without startling you, but that wasn't his usual venom cocktail."

Bruce took in a deep breath, knowing that he should just spit it out. All the while, Dick intently stared at him, anxious to know what was wrong.

"You're a kid Dick. Eight years old to be exact."

Confusion fluttered through Dick's frame, not knowing how to respond to it. It was soon replaced by panicked denial. Studying himself, he realized that he was no longer in uniform, but rather clothes that hadn't fit him in years. He soon noticed that his leaner frame as he tried to find a mirror or something to clarify Bruce's declaration.

Hopping off the metallic furniture, he approached the first thing he could think of, not paying attention to the unusual size change of his environment. The glass frame protecting his old uniform reflected the truth. He was shocked by the image he saw, regardless of the truth Bruce's diagnosis.

The build of a toned and flexible child stood in front of him, terrified by its reflection.

* * *

 **I know the beginning may not be entirely perfect, but it does get get across what I wanted to do, which was to introduce the problem. I've got quite a few things (ranging from serious to fluff) planned for this story and this chapter is really meant to get the ball rolling.**

 **Now I plan to update this story every few days (similarly to Breaking You), however, I may not jump right into that for the first week or two. I plan on finishing at least one of my in progress pieces (because I have two fics that aren't complete yet). Once I get that one done though, I should be uploading pretty regularly, with two chapters being uploaded a week.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I'm a bit early with an update, and might I say I'm impressed that this got as many faves and follows as it has in the two days that it's been up. I'm not complaining, I'm just a little surprised that's all. This chapter will reiterate/establish Dick's memory (as I mentioned in the previous chapters Author's Notes he does have all of his memories). This chapter also sets up how Bruce wants approach the situation. And because of that, this chapter is a bit dialogue heavy. Obviously not all of the chapters following this one will, but what he wants to do had to be addressed and since Alfred is going to be assisting, it has to be relayed to him as well. As such, Damian doesn't have as big a role in this chapter because of the fact that the other stuff had to be dealt with.**

* * *

"No." Dick gasped. "No. No. No."

He started to back up while trying to let the shock sink in.

"Careful." Bruce cautioned, grabbing Dick's arm and yanking him before he fell over the ledge.

Kneeling down to his level, Bruce gently kept a hold on both of Dick's arms. A shutter erupted as the eight year old anxiously processed the change. His breathing pace had heightened, and it wasn't helping the situation.

"I'm going to need you to calm down Dick." Bruce calmly persuaded as his thumb circled his shoulder. "We don't need you passing out."

A few deep breaths slowly took their course as Dick followed Bruce's instructions. Frantic blue eyes focused on Bruce, craving some form of explanation.

"There you go. Feel better?"

Dick nodded.

"Good. Now, I want to assess your memory. I want to know what we have to work with. Are you Robin or Nightwing?"

"Nightwing." Dick recalled.

Waving Damian over, Bruce would keep a finger pointing at him as he approached them.

"Jason, Tim, or Damian?"

"Damian."

"And as you've already confirmed, you remember being hit by the Joker's latest creation while on patrol with us."

Dick nodded once more. A sigh of relief escaped Bruce. Dick's memories were the least he could ask for.

"Good." He praised, opting to ruffle the ebony hair in front of him. "That's something."

"But Bruce, I don't want to be a kid." Dick whined.

"I know, but we can't exactly stop it since it's already happened. We will find out how to fix this. That much I promise."

An understanding yet disappointed glare was Dick's response. He knew that there probably wasn't much he could do about the situation, nor was there anything else that needed to be added.

"Now I think someone needs to get some sleep."

"I don't want to." Dick immediately refused.

A chuckle escaped Bruce at Dick nostalgic rebellion as a pout graced Dick's face.

"I didn't ask. Besides, it's been a long night and we can settle the rest of this in the morning."

Another protest was ready to emerge, but Bruce's stern demeanor shot it down.

"Oh, alright." Dick bitterly accepted.

"Good."

Standing back up, Bruce would lightly tap his back, prompting Dick's movement.

* * *

"I can't believe you have all of his old clothes." Bruce admitted, as he and Alfred brought several boxes to Dick's room.

"Of course I did." Alfred blatantly replied. "I thought I'd save them in the event you finally decided to settle down, get married, and have kids. Looking back on it, I realize that I set my hopes too high for such a notion."

"It was a nice thought Alfred and it did come in handy. Just not in the way you expected."

Dick shuffled his way out of his bathroom, dressed in Batman pajamas that he had gotten for his ninth birthday. With an ever present frown, he tried to suppress the urge to yawn. Amused by his display, Bruce chuckled as the withheld response finally slipped through the cracks.

"Alright cranky bridges, let's get to bed." Bruce persuaded, guiding Dick to bed.

Pulling back the comforter, Bruce watched the child crawl onto the bed. Once situated, he pulled the blanket over Dick, letting rest just below his chin.

"This won't last forever, will it?" Dick tiredly exaggerated as Bruce sat at the edge of the bed.

"Of course not." Bruce replied, running a hand through Dick's hair. "Once I find his weapon and figure out the contents of the gas that hit you, I'll stop at nothing until I find a way to reverse it. Until then, we'll just have to adjust."

"Alright."

Another yawn would escape Dick as he subconsciously curled up a little more.

"Well good night."

"Good night Dick."

Bruce reached over for the lamp, twisting the knob to turn it off.

* * *

A quiet click would confirm that the door closed. Stepping away from the door, Alfred and Bruce left the slumbering child alone.

"He's going to have to stay housebound for the time being." Bruce stated.

"Is that really wise?" Alfred questioned.

"He may not like it, but considering the situation, it has to be done. The last thing we need is the unwanted attention of trying to explain why Bruce Wayne took in a child who bears a striking resemblance to Dick at that age. Not to mention I can't have _two_ Robin's running rampant."

A hand would stop Bruce as Alfred grabbed his arm. Restrained annoyance met impatient curiosity.

"Master Bruce, you can't honestly expect to confined Master Richard to the house. We both know how much he loves his independence."

"I know. He will be allowed to step out of the house Alfred, just not off the property. What he needs supervision. You'll be here to keep an eye on him while I'm gone, and should it become necessary, I will have at least one person to watch over him."

There was a brief pause as Bruce's plan started to sink in. Alfred's disagreement was still present, and it wasn't going to go unnoticed.

"We can argue about this until were both blue in the face, but we have to remember that he's just a child. There needs to be structure, and as I've said, this will take some adjusting to."

Alfred chose not to respond to the information that he was presented with. As much as he disagreed with it, he understood that Bruce was trying to process the current state of affairs.

"If that's how you want to handle it, then I guess we shall agree to disagree. It's not like I have much say in the matter, now do I?"

"It's not that Alfred." Bruce tried to explain. "You know I always appreciate you're input. It's just that this happened so spontaneously that I'm forced to immediately plan for how this is going to work out."

An exhausted sigh left Alfred.

"Understood." Alfred concluded, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Now, if you don't mind me saying, I think we should both take your advice and call it a night."

Bruce released a worn out smirk.

"Agreed."

* * *

 **Yes we've got the title in here. Though to be honest, I came up with the title because Bruce will be using that a few times through out the story. Mostly when addressing Damian about how he will be handling Dick and the personality that he had at that age (because even though Dick remembers everything, he can only process everything mentally like he would have at that age) as compared to Damian.**

 **Also, I want to let you guys know that I currently have a poll open. It's been open since I completed Breaking You (one week ago exactly). It's really to give me some ideas of fics that I could write (there all ideas that I want to do, but I'd like to see what would stick and I'll decide how I'll go about it once it's closed). I'll keep it open until Wednesday if you're interested.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Now I've finally got to test drive what I had in mind for kid Dick. I plan on getting in Batman visiting the Joker, to get a few answers, but I thought I'd give Dick a chapter to himself before that.**

* * *

The sound of light thuds would break Bruce out of his sleep. Unable to block out the rhythmic tapping, he grumpily rolled out of bed. Upon exiting his room, he was greeted by a fully alert Dick using the hall way as acrobatic mat. The systematic noise was Dick somersaulting and small sprints from one end of the hall to the next.

"What are you doing?" Bruce annoyingly asked.

"Morning routine." Dick instantly replied, stopping in front of Bruce.

"And why are we using the hallway instead of, oh I don't know, the equipment in the Cave?"

"I'm too small for it, duh. Plus, I asked Alfred and he said no."

"What's going on out here?" Damian yawned, exiting his room.

"The sounds of a robin in flight." Bruce sarcastically jabbed.

Throwing himself backwards, Dick would grapple onto the railing in an attempt to do a handstand. A slight stutter in his grip would send Bruce reeling and a small jolt to escape Damian. Bruce immediately grabbed Dick the moment the boy regained his balance, ripping him off of the railing.

"We're not doing that again." Bruce sternly lectured, setting Dick on the ground.

Physically unfazed by the incident or Bruce's reaction, Dick playfully chuckled.

* * *

As Alfred inspected the kitchen, the sound of a bored child plopped down onto one of the chairs. Knowing that Dick wasn't hungry, Alfred chose to ignore his presence, only to be interrupted by a dramatic sigh.

"What's wrong?" Alfred unamusingly inquired, turning his attention to the child.

"Bruce says I can't go outside." Dick sighed, hands levitating his head above the table.

"Well wouldn't want you to freak the gardener out. He just got use to Master Damian's handiwork. And as I assume Master Bruce has already told you, you're visit has to have some restrictions given your current predicament."

"I know."

A dramatic sigh got away from Dick as Alfred took the seat to the right of him.

"I'm bored. My little bud is at school and have nothing to do."

Folding his arms on the table, Dick slamming his head on them. An annoyed groan erupted as his head made contact.

 _"Grayson!" Damian annoyingly groaned._

 _Dick was currently latched onto Damian, his head peaking over Damian's shoulder. The display was preventing Damian from leaving, and the gesture was starting to annoy him._

 _"Have a good day." Dick hoped, releasing him._

 _Damian eyerolled at the statement._

 _"Come on Damian." Bruce called, opening the door. "My meeting is at nine. We don't time to mess around."_

 _"Tell that to Grayson." Damian sarcastically lectured._

 _Not giving it a second thought, Damian bolted out to the car, not even thinking about biding Dick farewell. Damian appreciated one of the rare times Bruce offered to drive him to school, and he didn't want to waste any more time._

 _"I should be back no later than two, alright?" Bruce admitted, turning his attention to Dick._

 _"Uh-huh." Dick accepted._

 _"See you then."_

 _Bruce left, closing the door behind him._

"I'm sure you'll find something." Alfred figured, familiar with the behavior in front of him. "There was a time where you had to, if I recall correctly."

"But it's not the same." Dick complained, sitting back up and stretching his arms out in front of him. "Our family's grown, and I want interaction."

A pout refused to waiver as Dick stared Alfred down, as his arms crossed. Alfred didn't show any signs of wavering his indifference towards his behavior. Familiar with the uncharismatic display, Alfred knew this game was going to last.

* * *

The front door would quietly swing open. With his meeting finally over, Bruce greeted the confines of the manor. Cruising through the hallways, the sounds of giggling could be heard coming from the kitchen. Curious to see what was going on, he followed the humored noise.

Upon entering the kitchen, Bruce was greeted by a fun mess. Flour doused Dick's grinning face while a pleased Alfred was equipped with his apron as they were both cleaning up. A fresh batch of cookies laid out on the counter.

"What's going on here?" Bruce amusingly inquired.

"Master Richard was terribly bored sir." Alfred filled in. "After a long debate at the table, it was decided that we'd do some baking. I was going to anyways, as he was supposed to arrive today, but with everything going on, I had forgotten about it. They just got out so they'll need a few minutes."

"It got messy." Dick admitted, approaching Bruce. "I accidently dropped the flour, and it went all over the place."

"I can see that." Bruce observed, grabbing a rag and dampening it.

Bruce knelt down, lightly placing a hand around Dick's chin. He would drag the rag over Dick's cheek, removing a powdered smug.

"Other than the mess, you didn't give Alfred too much of a hassle, did you?" Bruce investigated, continuing his effort to remove specks of flour from Dick's face.

"When have I ever caused any trouble?" Dick chuckled.

"Oh, I can think of a few instances." Alfred recalled.

A slightly offended glare shot in the butler's general direction. It wouldn't last long as Bruce yanked Dick's attention back to him so that he could finish his inspection.

"Not to worry, he was on his best behavior. Dramatically bored at first, but well behaved."

"That's good." Bruce applauded, setting the rag on the counter.

Bruce stood up, proud of his handiwork.

"I'll take over from here Alfred." Bruce decided.

"And by that you mean, get Damian?"

"Uh-huh."

"That does not sound like much of a relief, if you ask me."

* * *

"Damian!" Dick greeted, lunging at him.

"Not again." Damian dreaded.

Dick immediately latched onto Damian, who was all but pleased by the gesture.

"Get off of me." Damian ordered, shoving Dick off.

An offended glance targeted Damian, as Bruce stepped in.

"Take it easy Damian." Bruce lectured. "He just missed you."

"That doesn't mean I want him hugging me."

Wanting to avoid any more of a confrontation, Damian trotted his way to his room. While not overly upset, the reaction was less than pleasing to Dick.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No." Bruce promised. "He's just not used to your affection at this age, something I'm beginning to realize that you've been starting to emote. Give him some time. He'll get over."

Nodding, Dick decided to take Bruce's observation.

"Now, why don't we steal some of you're baking expedition, before the mother hen has a chance to stop us."

"Yeah!"

Dick sprinted down the hallway, racing for the delectable prize.

* * *

 **Yes for slightly overly affectionate and dramatic Dick. Plus some quality time with Alfred.**

 **I just closed the poll, and I'll leave it up on my page for a few days. The winner is the modern take on Bruce Wayne Loses Guardianship of Dick Grayson set in the animated Young Justice universe. Now I'm going to do this poll a little differently than my previous Batman idea poll. Since a few people were interested in the magical tattoo story, I will do that one after the winner. And even though the Tim Drake and Owlman and Batman options are tied for third (one vote each), I'll do a poll for both individually to see what idea to do and simultaneously do both after that. That way, those ideas can get a little spotlight.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the chapter that gives us the Joker. This will also be the last chapter he appears in. Mostly because this story will center more on kid Dick and a little bit of Bruce finding an antidote. I'm also uploading a little more frequently (every two days so far). I may work my way towards three again, but we'll see.**

* * *

Batman stormed through the halls of Arkham. Bitter and enraged faces greeted him as he passed. Some were directed at him, while others were exasperated at their situation. None of them wanted to be there, and it showed.

He couldn't care less about their distain, as he wasn't there for any of them. There was only one reason for him to drag himself in to the grim asylum. Changing Dick back to normal was the only thing he wanted, and he wasn't about to waste any more time. It was time to get answers.

Armed guards continued to guide him down to an interrogation like room. They stopped and unlocked the door. Once done, they stood on both sides of the door, only allowing Batman to enter.

Cuffed to the table, the Joker amusingly grinned at the vigilante. Closing the door behind him, Batman starred the man down.

"If I knew you were coming, I would have gotten you a gift." Joker sarcastically joked.

Batman didn't reply to the comment as he placed himself on the other side of the table. The Joker's grin didn't disappear, only minimizing from the lack of a response.

"This isn't a personal visit, now is it?"

"Why did you hit _him_?" Batman interrogated.

A chuckle escaped the clown, not needing further elaboration. He folded his arms, willing to go along with it.

"Technically, I was trying to hit you." Joker blatantly admitted. "It's not my fault the former Boy Blunder got in the way."

"Why?"

"To screw with you Batsy." Joker manically cackled, throwing his hands out as far as he could. "Think about it. With you as a child, you would be worthless, and for a time, crime would skyrocket. Though now that I think about it, I think I like that the kid got zapped. It makes for a good twist and screws up his visit."

An unamused glare shot in the Joker's direction. Knowing he wasn't getting anywhere with marveling at his scheme, he decided to get to the point.

"Look, I would have changed you back, eventually. It was only meant to last until I either got bored or apprehended, whichever came first."

"How do I change him back?"

"You're the world's greatest detective. I'm sure you can figure it out. The only tip I'll give you is that they took my toy and placed it in the evidence locker."

Silently excusing himself, Batman made his way to the door. He got all that he was going to get, and what he got was enough to get a plan implemented. He didn't look back as he opened the door and exited.

"Do tell the kid I said hello and that I hope he gets well soon." Joker proudly remarked as the door slammed on him.

* * *

"Yeah, we have it." Commissioner Gordon confirmed, carrying a small box out and setting it on a table. "When we got to the scene, one of the officer found it before Robin got the chance to grab it."

While he was annoyed by Batman's late night call to meet him at the evidence locker, given the circumstances, he could understand the urgency.

"The weapon itself got a bit roughed up." He admitted. "Partially because of the fact it had been thrown aside as well as not initially being handled as delicately as it should have."

He brought the gun shaped item out and setting it out on the table. The damage was noticeable to say the least. Two moderately sized cracks could bee seen scathing the side of the barrel of the gun and the handle was barely hanging on.

"I assume that you're more interested in the bullets, since that's how the Venom was injected."

Gordon set the pellets in question along side the mangled machinery. Picking on of them up, Batman looked it over.

"Thank you." Batman finally replied, placing the spherical objects into one of his pockets.

"How is Nightwing?" Gordon inquired, attempting to lighten the mood.

"He's fine." Batman confirmed. "Safe. Adjustments have been made to keep him out of harm's way until I can sort this out."

"Must be challenging to have _another_ child to look after considering Robin's less than friendly nature."

"It's being managed."

Turning his attention to the exit, Batman was ready to leave.

"Good luck." Gordon hoped.

* * *

Entering the Batcave, Bruce was greeted by an alert Dick. Clad in pajamas, Bruce was puzzled by his conscious state.

"I thought I told you to go to bed." Bruce recalled, kneeling down to his level. "I know you're used to the late nights Dick, but you still need your sleep."

"Alfred let him down here." Damian admitted, not moving away from the computer screen.

"You find what you were looking for?" Dick diverted.

"I did, and I will get started on it immediately. That does not, however, excuse your rebellion."

"Well if you want to punish me, you'll have to catch me first." Dick mischievously challenged.

Not wasting any time, Dick ran. Bruce was both flabbergasted and entertained at the challenge. It wasn't long before Dick was out of the Cave.

"I believe you've been challenged father." Damian indifferently admitted, ready to head up for the night.

A blank stare approached Damian.

"Don't look at me. I'm not going after him. I just finished babysitting him. Good night father."

Once Damian had cleared a path, Bruce went after him.

Dick couldn't stop giggling as Bruce carried him into his room. Dick had been found hiding on top of the fridge. He had attempted to leap off, only to land squarely on Bruce's shoulder.

Bruce pulled the comforter down before plopping the child onto the bed. Dick would bounce slightly as he got into a comfortable position.

"Did he give you a hard time?" Dick asked.

"Who? The Joker?" Bruce responded, covering the kid. "No. However, he does send his regards."

A troubled grunt escaped Dick.

"I think I'll pass."

A smirk emerged at his statement.

"Well at least I can start working on fixing this."

"True. Let's hope it doesn't take too long."

* * *

 **So, my plan from here is to have five to six chapters focusing on Dick and some (not too serious) issues that will arise before I get to the climax. That way I can get build a set of reactions from Bruce and focusing at least one chapter on Damian and establishing some form of perspective on his part . The next few chapters may focus a bit more on Bruce's attentiveness to Dick as he (Bruce) knows how to handle the responses (especially the emotional ones) Dick will exhibit during this story since he (Bruce) is familiar with them. This will help set up the eventual response I have planned for Damian. I'll also fit in Dick wanting to handle things because he's (mentally) an adult in at least to instances. Bruce working on reversing the effects of the Joker Venom will pop up a little bit in one or two of them.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Throwing in a bit of a surprise guest in this chapter because I wanted to do a chapter based on Everyone having to be somewhere, which would result in Dick potentially being left alone.**

* * *

Wayne Manor was in disarray. An unintentionally forgotten doctor's appointment for Alfred had been brought up. Under different circumstances that wouldn't be an issue, but with a juvenile Dick, that threw their already shaky routine in for a loop. It didn't help that Bruce had a mandatory board meeting or the fact that Damian still had to get to school.

"Can't you just reschedule the appointment?" Bruce pleaded, Dick trotting beside him.

"No sir." Alfred retorted. "Not even if I wanted to. You know how adamant she is about the health of this family. Now if you don't mind, I have to get Master Damian to school."

Alfred didn't allow Bruce to protest, as both he and Damian exited the manor.

"You can leave me here." Dick tried to negotiate, tugging on Bruce's sleeve.

"I most certainly am not." Bruce shot down. "There is no way I'm not leaving an eight year old unattended. I love you, but I don't trust you at the moment."

Bruce whipped his phone out and punched a number in. Keeping a hand on Dick's shoulder, he impatiently waited, lightly tapping his foot.

"I need a favor." Bruce demanded. "I know. Just meet me at the manor, and be discreet about it."

* * *

Floating onto the property, Clark was instantly greeted by Bruce and the child.

"What's so important that you need to interrupt my plans on my day off?" Clark annoyingly questioned.

"I need you to watch him." Bruce stated, gesturing to Dick. "Alfred is at a doctor's appointment and I have a meeting."

Clark quickly glanced at Dick, more annoyed with Bruce at the moment.

"Who's the kid?"

"You've got to be joking." Dick sarcastically retorted. "It's me."

Clark took a moment to really study the child. Taking in his features, Clark began to recognize the child in front of him.

"Dick?"

Conformation came in the form of a nod, a smug grin presenting itself. He pranced over to Clark, knowing that that was what Bruce wanted him to do.

"What happened to you?" Clark gasped, crouching down to his height.

"The Joker happened." Bruce admitted. "Got hit by his newest toxin cocktail, and as you can tell, he got turned kid. As you can probably guess, we can't exactly show him off in this state. There's no way I can explain him without compromising either of our identities."

Keeping his attention on Dick, Clark processed the information. Dick kept a pleasant smile as he ruffled his hair.

"Look, I know this is your first day off in a while, and you'd much rather have some time to yourself, but you know I wouldn't be asking this unless I had to. I'm only asking for two hours at most. Alfred should be back by then and you can go about you day."

Clark couldn't stay crouched down for much longer, needing to stretch his legs out. Grabbing Dick, he brought the child up with him. Still a little annoyed by the request, he understood the predicament that Bruce found himself in.

"Alright." Clark finally agreed. "I'll watch him."

Upon arriving on his apartment, Clark was unsure as to what he should do. Given such short notice, he wasn't well prepared for the child. He had opted to putz around the house, all the while keeping an eye on Dick.

Dick had picked up on this lack of enjoyment from the Kryptonian and decided to take action. Guilt ridden, he hid beneath the table in the kitchen. He hated having to bother one of his idols, even if they both knew that it was a forced necessity. It didn't help that their seemed to be an irritated grumble in the air.

It didn't take long for Clark to note the situation. Lunch was a half hour ago and Dick had disappeared the moment he emerged from the bathroom. Noticing the balled up frame beneath the furniture, he decided to address the issue.

"Hey kiddo, what's up?" Clark investigated. "Mind if I join you?"

He didn't give Dick a chance to reply, as he slowly crawled beneath the table to join him.

"I'm sorry." Dick apologized, hiding his face in his knees.

"For what?"

"For ruining your day."

A puzzled expression shot at the child as a pinch of guilt tugged at Clark. The thought of Dick absorbing his silent grievances had not occurred to him.

"Oh, you're not ruining my day." Clark stated, dragging the kid closer. "Was I hoping for some alone time today? Sure. Am I annoyed at Bruce for throwing this on me without warning? Absolutely. However, I am in no way angry at you. It's the Joker's fault, not yours. Besides," a hand ruffled Dick's hair, "no one can stay angry with you."

A pure chuckle left Dick. Hearing that, brought a smile to Clark.

"Now why don't we get out from under here. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a bit cramped."

* * *

Shades of orange painted the skies of Gotham as Clark finally brought Dick home. Bruce impatiently waited outside the manor. Landing in front of him, Clark allowed Dick to hop off his back. Messy wind stricken hair bounced as Dick ran out from behind the Kryptonian.

"You had fun today, right?" Clark inquired.

"You bet." Dick cheered, giving him a thumbs up before trotting back over to Bruce.

"Welcome home." Bruce greeted. "You didn't give him too much trouble, did you?"

"Of course not."

"Good. Now why don't you head inside? Alfred's almost done making dinner. I'll be there in a moment."

"Okay."

Dick ran into the house leaving the two heroes behind. Bruce gave it a minute, wanting to be sure that Dick was inside, before saying anything.

"You didn't have to keep him for so long." Bruce pointed out. "Alfred got home at one."

"I know," Clark noted, "but I found myself enjoying his company. I almost forgot how much I loved his character at that age. All of that energy that he had. Ended up taking him back to Smallville to let him run and have fun without drawing attention, so he should sleep well for you tonight."

"Thank you. I know this wasn't exactly what you planned for today, but I do appreciate it. None of us really expected this to happen when he came into town."

"No problem. It was a pleasure. Just do me a favor and give me a warning next time."

* * *

 **I originally planned on having Clark being a bit more aggravated with this situation and maybe having a bit of a stare off with Dick at first, but I felt that it would have been a bit more in character if I went with this instead. Also, for the sake of the story and the fact that Clark isn't really in uniform, Clark would be flying a little more out of site.**


	6. Chapter 6

**This is probably the shortest chapter, but not by a whole lot. I was going back and forth between if this chapter would be a sick chapter or a light training chapter. I'm doing both, but I didn't know which one to do first. I eventually decided on the sick chapter since I wanted to get the light training session with Damian a little closer to one or two other more Damian focused chapter.**

* * *

Coughs echoed through the manor as Bruce entered the house. When Lucius had delivered a message, about a distraught and feverish child, Bruce had immediately excused himself from his work day. Knowing that it was Dick, Bruce knew he had to get back to him, no matter how annoyed of a glare he got from the other people in the meeting. As inclined as he was to stay, he couldn't shun the worry that he was having.

Under normal circumstances, he would have checked on Dick on his lunch break. He rarely got sick, and when he did, especially while visiting, Bruce knew that he enjoyed having someone at least voice their concerns. However, with Dick being in the condition that he was in, there was no telling how bad it could be. Especially when he equated the fact that, as an adult, Dick could withstand a lot more than he could as a child.

As he climbed the stairs, he subconsciously found himself cruising down the hall. Upon reaching the room in question, he would soon be greeted by Alfred, who was standing outside of the door. A thermometer was gently held in his hand revealing it designated results.

"How is he?" Bruce quietly inquired.

"Running a fever of one hundred." Alfred confirmed. "Threw up a few times and has a slight cough. I just gave him some medicine, so that should help."

A sympathetic gaze shot at the door. Thankfully, it wasn't the worst fever he had gotten, but it was still worth having concern for.

"Do you think he got this from his time with Clark?"

"No, of course not. If anything, he had gotten anything it was an upset stomach from stealing some of Martha Kent's homemade pie during Clark's spoiled induced playdate. That would have gone away a long time ago. If I had to guess, this is probably the result of his child sized body succumbing to the stresses of his Bludhaven life."

Bruce's gaze stayed fixated on the door, mentally processing what he should do next.

"Am I allowed to go see him?" Bruce inquired.

"Of course." Alfred replied, a smile forming. "He's a little disoriented, but I'm sure he'd be glad to see you."

Stepping away from the door, Alfred opened an opportunity for him. Not wasting any time, Bruce slowly opened the door. The light stretched out, barely missing the end of Dick's bed, as Bruce quietly entered the room.

The shivering ball beneath the blanket barely acknowledged his presence as Bruce approached the bed side. Dick was on his side, facing the edge that Bruce was closely approaching. Sweaty strains of hair covered Dick's face as slightly labored breaths snaked out.

"Hey there kiddo." Bruce greeted, sitting on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Sick." Dick weakly remarked, a small cough followed.

Bruce chuckled at Dick's obvious statement. Grabbing the blanket, he adjusted it above Dick's shoulder, gently keeping his hand on Dick's slim shoulder.

"I know that, but besides that, how are you feeling?"

"Bored."

"It never was fun when you got sick."

There was a moment of silence, as Dick battled staying awake. Tired eyes attempted to mask other emotions.

"I'm sorry." Dick confided, hiding his head beneath the blanket.

"What for?"

"Making you come home to take care of me."

"Don't be," Bruce sympathetically sighed, not wanting him to fell any worse than he was, "it's okay."

Bruce slowly removed the comforter from his head. With Dick's guilty face now exposed, his hand glossed over the child's bangs and rested on the side of Dick's face.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"But you wouldn't come home if I were an adult."

"Maybe, but you're sick and I was concerned. Is that so wrong?"

Dick shook his head.

"Then what's the problem?"

"You're taking time out of your day to comfort me."

"Which is something I would do for you, regardless of your age. Though let's be honest, I couldn't stand how slow an uninteresting the day was heading. So you saved me."

Dick wouldn't respond as the effects of the medication and exhaustion would really start to take hold. The sentiment was appreciated, but he couldn't bring himself to respond. Eyes could no longer keep themselves open, and the scent emitting from Bruce's hand was nostalgic. It wouldn't be long before he would become comatose.

* * *

The door gently closed behind Bruce. The now sleeping child wasn't as entertaining as he normally could be in a more conscious state. Not to mention, he deemed watching over him while he slept would be a bit uncomfortable on both ends.

"I assume your visit went well." Alfred stated.

"Yeah," Bruce admitted, "he felt bad about me being here, but he got over it. He's just tired."

"Of course. He always hated it at that age. He felt like he burdened you whenever you called off work when he got sick."

"I wish he hadn't. He was my first child and I wanted to be there when he wasn't feeling well."

"Indeed. Now I have Lucius on the line. He wants to know how Damian is doing."

"Damian?"

Damian name threw him in for a loop for a moment. Once he let himself think, he remembered that, in an attempt to keep their secret, Alfred had used Damian as his excuse.

"Right. I'll get it handled. After all, he probably wants to run down some of the board members dismay at my departure."

* * *

 **Now the sick fic will be the first of two fluffish chapters. This is probably the first sick chapter/fic I've done (I had a scene where Dick was sick in Breaking You, but that was about a third of the chapter), so it may not be perfect. I tried.**

 **Heads** **up, I did open up my Tim Drake Poll. If you recall, I mentioned how I would do a poll for both the Tim Drake ideas and the Dick Grayson centric Owlman and Batman ideas. If you're interested, I'll leave it up for about a week. There's Four options, 2 are for the Ra's ideas and the other 2 are for a Superboy and Tim friendship idea (I wasn't sure which I wanted to do).**


	7. Chapter 7

**Got another update. Yay. I decided to divide this chapter into two parts. The training bit and Bruce investigating an antidote.**

* * *

The Batcave became more occupied as Dick followed Bruce and Damian down. Bruce wanted to get further in his research on the toxin while Damian wanted to do some training. Not wanting to be left behind, Dick decided to join them.

"Can I join you?" Dick asked.

"No." Damian denied. "I want to train on my own. Besides, I don't think it would be wise for us to spar. I wouldn't want to hurt you."

"I don't see a problem with you two sparring." Bruce admitted, placing a sample of one of the pellets into a scanner. "Just go easy on him. No weapons, just hand to hand combat. I also don't want you to overdo it Dick. Stay safe and keep it evasive."

A spark emerged in Dick's mind at Bruce's precaution as Damian rolled his eyes at the notion.

"Alright, we'll do it your way." Damian moaned, getting into a fighting stance.

Dick followed suit, getting into his own stance. For several seconds neither of them moved. Damian would make the first move, running at Dick. Dick would instantly follow his movement.

A fist would launch at Dick, when he leaped around it. Damian quickly registered the motion and went for another hit. Dick would

This tactic would go on for a while. Damian would try to hit Dick while he attempted to avoid them. Some blows would scathe Dick and he would even get one or two of his own.

Damian was starting to get annoyed with Dick's constant evasion. A fist would finally collide with Dick's face, knocking the eight year old down. No one moved as Dick sat up. Damian would soon approach him, crouching down beside him.

"Sorry." Damian blandly apologized.

"It's okay." Dick accepted, brushing off the hit like it was nothing.

"I didn't mean to hit you that hard. I was just annoyed with your choice of tactics."

"Of course it is." Bruce admitted, joining them as he helped Dick to his feet. "That's the point."

A quizzical look shot in Bruce's direction.

"When Dick was getting started off as Robin, you can imagine that he wasn't exactly an expert. He wasn't fully prepared, but he never let that stop him. In an attempt to keep him as safe as possible, and to grant him field time, I had taught him to be more agile. At least until he was able to properly defend himself and take down criminals. This tactic was to keep the attention on him and annoying them with his evasion so that I could strike when they least expect it. It would also become a foundation for his more acrobatic form. I often referred to it as _stay safe and keep it evasive_ while he called it Bird in Flight or B.I.F. for short."

"That's stupid."

"He was nine." Bruce turned his attention to Dick. "Now, let's give Damian sometime to train on his own."

"Oh, alright." Dick sighed, allowing Bruce to guide him away.

He would trot along side Bruce as Damian began a routine. Watching the blinking screen, Dick leaned onto the computer monitor.

"So, how's the research going?"

"I know what it was made with, a combination the basis of his original cocktail and some kind of plant. I have not, however, figured out what plant was used."

"That doesn't sound like much."

"Well, if I didn't have to tend to a sick child yesterday, I may have gotten farther."

A guilty chuckle escaped from Dick. Bruce had a point, but he knew he didn't mean to be rude by it, even if it jokingly did. A beep would distract them, showing that the computer wasn't sure what the plant was.

"Now what?" Dick questioned.

"I can only think of one person that would probably know what this is." Bruce admitted, putting on his cowl and heading towards the Batmobile.

"You think she'll cooperate?"

"She will."

* * *

Taking a different hallway in Arkham, Batman searched for his source alone. Several cells would present themselves to him, but one with a green tinted interior caught his eye. A guard was waiting for him beside the door.

"Would you like me to join you?" The officer inquired.

"No." Batman bluntly responded. "I'm only here for answers, and I have to handle it on my own."

"Alright. I know I don't have to warn you or anything, but nonetheless, good luck."

The guard unlocked the door and let Batman walk in. Sprawled out on the cell's bed was Poison Ivy. She didn't appear surprised by his visit, but she was a little curious to say the least.

"What brings you to my humble abode?" Ivy inquired, sitting up.

"Have you recently grown a new kind of flower?" Batman interrogated, getting to the point. "One that's age defining and pretty potent.

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? What if I told you that Harley told me about how she asked you for a sample, only to give it to the Joker later?"

"She wouldn't dare."

An eyebrow would raise at her statement, not that she could entirely see it. In that moment, she knew she messed up.

"Fine. I created a new plant for when I busted out of here. What's it to ya?"

"I need an antidote."

With a smug grin, Ivy got up from her only furniture and approached Batman.

"I'm guessing you're referring to one of your little birdies," Ivy inferred, quizzingly glaring at him, "but what makes you think I have one?"

"Do you really expect me to believe that you don't? if not for profit then for an emergency or for the sake of having one."

An amused smirk escaped Ivy, not denying the accusation. As much as she would love to go on with the charade, she could tell that it was pointless.

"You're not wrong. In that case, why would I give it to you? I doubt you're going to pay me for it."

"The satisfaction of helping a child."

Ivy was unimpressed with the notion, playfully rolling her eyes.

"Letting you off the hook just this once, since it was the Joker who used it. Use it again, you won't be so lucky the next time."

Ivy was a little more pleased with this reason, giving him a nod. She would leave him alone as she went over to the bed. Reaching under it, she dragged out a small vile filled with a yellow green powder.

"Here you go." Ivy offered, handing it to him. "You can give it to him orally or use a counter version of what the Joker used, assuming you have one, and it should work instantly."

Batman studied the vile for a moment.

"And you're sure it'll work?"

"Of course. As you implied, it would be foolish if I didn't given the situation I use the other for."

Batman nodded, slipping it into one of his pockets.

"Do be warned, you'll probably want him to take it in private. He's not going to fit into whatever clothes he would be wearing."

He gave her another nod before leaving the cell. With the item he wanted, he was ready to get the situation under wraps. Provided, he did a scan of a small portion of it before hand to be safe.

* * *

 **Yes, Dick has a code name for the little routine. It was just a little thought that occurred to me that I thought would make sense. And yes, I thought I'd throw Ivy in here as a means to figuring out how to reverse the Joker Gas that hit Dick. I thought that maybe she would have been able to create a plant that could do this. I also hope that her and Batman's dialogue came out okay. I was going for her attempting to deny everything, but it not getting far, because it wouldn't work on Batman.**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter is my attempt to get Bruce in Daddy Bats mode. We have him a bit concerned over Dick on a few incidents followed by a nightmare segment.**

* * *

Bruce's first morning off was a lively one. The sound of Dick scattering across the floor could be heard a mile away. With Damian off of school, he had been chasing him, much to the current Robin's dismay. Knowing he was going to have to intervene, Bruce got out of bed and got himself ready.

Bruce would emerge from his room, clad in a black shirt and a dark pair of jeans. Damian would instantly be seen bolting behind his father, annoyed, using him as a shield. A grinning bundle would soon come into view, keeping his sights set on Bruce.

"Can you tell Damian to play with me?" Dick asked. "He keeps running away from me."

"You can't honestly expect me to do that, do you?" Bruce sighed. "Not after yesterday's training session."

"And I told you I don't want to." Damian recalled, peeking out from behind Bruce.

A glare shot at Dick, who tried to brush it off.

"Dick." Bruce named, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, I know you want to hang out with Damian given that it's the weekend, but that doesn't mean you antagonize him."

"But Bruce…" Dick whined.

"But nothing. Damian, fell free to do whatever you were going to do. Just remember, this was meant to be one of Dick's routine visits, so you will spend time with him."

"I know." Damian responded, heading for the stairs.

They watched as he disappeared, taking a few steps towards the stairs before pausing.

"You have to realize that he's not use to children." Bruce reminded. "Nor is he use to a more energetic Dick Grayson."

"I know," Dick admitted, "but I want to spend time with him."

"I think we all know that. Now, how about we make breakfast. You got to bake with Alfred and spoiled by Clark. So why don't we do something?"

"Yeah." Dick cheered, twirling around.

His foot would get caught on the flooring, causing him to trip right above the staircase. Instinctively, Bruce instantly grabbed the back of Dick's shirt, keeping him just barely over the ground. Entertained eyes caught wind of Bruce's annoyed concern.

"Sorry." Dick giggled.

* * *

A Band-Aid would firmly be placed on Dick's knee. Comfortably sitting upon the counter, Dick remained motionless as Bruce did his job. Dick and Damian had come inside after they had a brief walk around the backyard, conversing about his time away. After a few cartwheels, Dick would end up tripping on the edge of the back patio and skid his knee.

"All set." Bruce confirmed, patting Dick's shoulder.

"Yay." Dick cheerfully thanked, hoping off of the counter. "I'm going back outside, if that's okay. I want to do some more acrobatics."

"Just be careful."

"I will."

Dick pranced outside of the kitchen. It wouldn't be long before the sound of something hitting the glass door echoed. A flinch escaped Bruce.

"I'm okay." Dick echoed.

The sound of the door opening and closing soon after.

"Why are you doing that?" Damian inquired.

"What?"

"Doting on him like that. All day you've been kind of coddling him."

"Oh. Well, he's a very enthusiastic child."

"He's an adult."

"Technically yes, but physically and to a lesser extent mentally and emotionally, he's eight. He's always been different compared, to say, you. You're a lot more, how should I put it, levelheaded and mature. Though that has a lot to do with you're upbringing for the first ten years of your life. His upbringing, however, even after the death of his parents, has always been more optimistic and lively. He was also a lot more careless. Not to mention his love of contact. He was also my first child, and as such, I didn't want him getting hurt." Bruce sense Damian's skeptical glare. "Before, during, and after his time as Robin. With him like this, that desire to protect him reignited."

* * *

Patrol had finally came to a close. The Riddler's antics weren't too serious, so he and Damian were able to apprehend him pretty quick.

Bruce made his way up the stairs, ready to call it a day. A legible shriek, would immediately catch his attention, and he followed it. Not waiting for an invitation, he pried Dick's door open and entered.

The illuminating light from the nightstand exposed a conscious Dick. Twitching and teary eyed, he didn't utter a word as his fingers grabbed clumps of the blanket. Approaching his bedside, Bruce carefully planned to get to the bottom of the outburst.

"What's wrong?" Bruce softly asked, sitting beside the child.

"Nightmare." Dick admitted, sniffling shortly after.

A nostalgic smirk graced Bruce's face. Familiar with the numerous occasions that the boy had suffered from the issue, he knew how to address it.

"What about?"

"My parent's death."

That was a first, at least in a while.

"Really? Haven't heard about that one in a while."

"They come back every now and then." Dick admitted, wiping some runaway tears away.

More tears began to roll out, causing sleeves to furiously attempt to dry them. That did not, however, stop more from falling in their place. Knowing where

"Would you like me to stay with you?" Bruce inquired.

"No." Dick gasped. "I'm an adult Bruce. I'll get over it."

An eyebrow would raise at his statement. Recalling Damian using those exact words earlier, Bruce couldn't help but smirk. He didn't say anything, allowing Dick to think about what he really wanted. Tears continued to fall as Dick tried to process what he felt.

"Okay. Maybe I do." Dick began to cave.

Bruce's expression remained unchanged.

"Yes." Dick finally admitted.

"You know the drill."

Dick began to move over, forcing the covers aside. With enough room, Bruce joined him. Getting adjusted, he would drape the comforter over the both of them.

Dick would snuggle closer to Bruce. Tear began to dampen Bruce's shirt as Dick attempted to regain some composure. A hand was soon found circling Dick's back as Bruce attempted to help calm him down.

"It's okay." Bruce whispered.

"I know." Dick responded.

Silence would engulf the room as Dick began to calm down. Bruce's presence was all he could ask for, and while he hated how he personally had responded, he was grateful just knowing that Bruce wanted to be there for him.

* * *

 **I apologize if the ending isn't perfect. While I had two nightmare instances in Breaking You, I've never done one like this (for example nightmare fics where Dick bunking in Bruce's room after having a nightmare).**

 **On a side note, I closed the Tim Drake poll. The winner was the Ra's and Deathstroke discussion piece in which they will discuss their facination with their respected Batman protege. This will probably have Ra's laying down ground rules for Deathstroke's search for an apprentice.**

 **I have also opened the Dick Grayson centric Batman and Owlman poll. Depending on which wins, I will have both of these fics coincide with each other (Meaning I'll upload both at the same time).**


	9. Chapter 9

**I meant to upload this yesterday. I was having a hard time trying to figure out what activity I wanted them to do together. SInce I couldn't think of anything I decided to get some moments with Dick, which would act as fuel for the jealousy that Damian will be feeling in a later chapter.**

* * *

"Really father?" Damian scoffed.

Now on his back, Bruce slowly began to wake up. The image of Damian leaning over him began to clear. He was a little curious about Damian's presence. His son's slightly annoyed expression adding to his dazed confusion.

"What?" Bruce yawned.

Damian tilted his head a pinch, not really wanting to answer the question. Their stare down would be interrupted as the motion of a small frame curled up closer to Bruce. Still asleep, Dick was now using Bruce's stretched out arm as a pillow. Bruce would be lying if he was surprised by the fact that he was still sleeping.

"Oh." Bruce realized. "He had a nightmare."

"So." Damian bluntly responded. "He's an adult and knows how to handle them."

"Child." Bruce corrected. "A child that needs to be tended to differently than you. He always wanted someone there after having a nightmare."

The shuffling began to get more consistent, interrupting their conversation once more. With his now numb arm released, Bruce sat up. Stretching out, Dick finally decided to wake up. Blinking a few times, he got a better grip on his surroundings.

"Good morning." Bruce greeted.

"Mornin'." Dick yawned, sitting up.

"Sleep good?"

Dick nodded, rubbing his eyes.

"Since I have the both of you here, and I've got the day off, is there anything you'd like to do?"

"I don't know." Damian stated.

"How about a movie?"

"No."

"A group training session?"

"Would rather do that on my own."

"You think I could see my parents?" Dick suggested.

"Don't be stupid. That involves bringing you out in public Grayson." Damian reminded.

Dick flinched a little hurt by the statement.

"I know."

"But it was still a good suggestion." Bruce applauded, attempting to distance the conversation from the bitterness in Damian's statement. "I know you haven't visited them in a while, and you've probably got a bad case of cabin fever."

Dick quietly crawled out of the bed, brushing the blanket aside. He then began to make his way towards the bathroom. His silence was a bit problematic as a dampened sense of emotion filled the room.

"What are you doing?" Bruce asked.

"Getting ready." Dick sighed.

He stopped at the door.

"Why don't we just hang out around here today?"

* * *

Closing the door behind him, Dick would leave the two Wayne's alone. A sense of tension would enter the room as a glare shot in Damian's direction.

Bruce and Dick would enter the manor after a walk around the backyard. The skies had gone grey as clouds blanketed the sun. Rain had started to fall the moment the two had entered the house.

It wouldn't be long before Damian would be spotted. Sweat drenched hair signifying the end of a long training session. He would pass the duo, heading for the shower.

"Lunch is in a few, you up to joining us?" Bruce invited.

"I'll be there." Damian replied.

Ten minutes later, Damian would join his father and Dick for lunch. It was an uncommon commodity, a chicken stir fry recipe that they had been testing for a few months.

Bruce was waiting at the table while Alfred and Dick set the table. Damian would join his father as they finished up. As Dick took a seat at the table, he invited Alfred to join them. Not wanting to deny the child, Alfred agreed. They would all start eating, wasting no time to see how this batch came out.

"This is pretty good." Damian observed. "Definitely better than the last attempt."

"I agree." Bruce noted. "It has an extra zest to it. Did you do something different Alfred?"

"Yes actually." Alfred admitted. "Actually, Master Richard suggested adding just a pinch of ginger. Something his mother used to do with a number of dishes apparently."

A bashful grin graced Dick's face as everyone's attention feel on him. A mix of impressed and curious expressions greeted him.

"Well I think it was a wonderful suggestion." Bruce praised.

"Different that's for sure." Damian flatly admitted.

* * *

Dick would be found trying to climb one of the bookshelves in the study in an attempt to grab one of his favorite books: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. He was having a difficult time keeping his footing, so Bruce decided to help him. Grabbing the book, he would make sure Dick got off of the bookshelf before handing him the book.

"Thank you." Dick gratefully accepted, walking over to the fireplace.

Curling up in front of it, Dick cracked the book open. Bruce would soon join him. With Damian in an unknown depth of sleep in the adjacent chair, he wanted to be around the only lively company in the room.

"You really enjoy that, don't you?" Bruce observed.

"Yeah." Dick replied, flipping the page. "Since I don't have much reading material at home, it's nice to know that it's here waiting for me."

There was a moment of silence as Dick continued to read a few pages.

"How's the antidote coming along?" Dick inquired, setting the book down.

"Well, I finished analyzing a sample of what she gave me." Bruce filled in. "And after testing it with a sample of the Joker Venom that was used on you, I can confidently say that it will work. I will be storing some of it for later. Right now, I just have to decide how I'm going to give it to you."

"What do you mean?"

"She says I can give it to you orally or use it as a counter toxin. It doesn't exactly have the most pleasant smell, so I can only imagine how it would taste. At the same time, I don't want to hit you with another pellet. I'll figure that out later."

Dick nodded, taking the information in.

"When do you think you'll have it ready?"

"If all goes accordingly, tomorrow."

"Great. I am so ready to get back to normal."

"Agreed. Although, I think I'll kind of miss this younger version of you."

"It wasn't all bad. Besides not being able to leave the house and needing supervision. Not to mention the small stature and the age restricted mood swings."

Bruce would chuckle at the list of cons that Dick was humorously giving. A hand would gently glide through Dick's hair.

* * *

 **I'm going to be progressing more in the next few chapters. If you recall correctly, I mentioned how I wanted to focus on Dick for a couple chapters before getting to the antidote or the climax.**

 **Also, I forgot to mention this in the sick chapter (Chapter 6 I believe) I had Damian used as his "sick kid" excuse. I mention this now because I meant to mention it in the following chapter's Author Notes (since I didn't post it in the sick chapter). I did that because, while Lucius knows about Bruce being Batman, I wasn't sure how much he knew as far as the comics (as this story takes elements from/takes place in the comics). One wiki page said he doesn't know anything and the pages I looked into mostly referred to the Nolan trilogy.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Now we've got some issues coming to light as Damian's attitude is finally addressed.**

* * *

The following day Bruce decided to work on the antidote, ready for everything to return to normal. Huddled up in the Batcave, he had spent the morning deciding how to give it to Dick. Opting to go with the oral, he set aside a reasonable amount for it while setting the rest aside. He figured he'd sneak it into the next drink Dick had, preferable not water in an attempt to suppress some of the assumed taste. Grabbing Dick's dosage, Bruce left the Batcave.

Since he had been in the cave for a few hours, Bruce had not seen either of his children. Assuming that at that Alfred was in the kitchen, that's where Bruce decided to look first, knowing that Alfred would be keeping tabs.

When he walked into the kitchen, Bruce was shocked by the scene in front of him. Dick was sitting on the counter while Alfred was treating a cut on his face. Alfred gently wiped away a small trickle of blood before covering it with a small bandage. Dick was motionless during the whole thing.

"What happened?" Bruce asked, setting down the antidote and approaching them.

Alfred didn't acknowledge the question, keeping his sight on Dick.

"It's nothing." Dick sheepishly replied.

This response peaked Bruce's concerns. It didn't help that Alfred was giving Dick a glare.

"What happened?" Bruce repeated.

Dick's attention bounced between both Alfred and Bruce. He didn't want to say anything, and his slightly bothered expression confirmed it.

"Tell him." Alfred requested.

Begrudgingly turning his attention towards Bruce. He wasn't pleased with the situation he was in.

"Don't get mad at Damian." Dick pleaded. "It's not his fault."

"What happened?" Bruce reiterated.

A defeated sigh escaped Dick.

"Damian accidently hit me with his sword."

Strained displeasure rushed to Bruce's face. He was angry with this, wondering what could have caused it. Dick picked up on this pretty quick, ready to elaborate on Damian's behalf.

"I's not his fault." Dick explained. "I snuck up on him while he was training, hoping to surprise him. I was successful, but at the expense of being hit. He was mad, yelling at me for how stupid I was and how I could have lost my head. He ran off before I could apologize. Please, don't be mad at him."

Dick wasn't sure if his explanation helped, but he was glad that he did. However, the look of disappointment on Bruce's face, hindered his hopes.

"He's in his room, correct?" Bruce asked in Alfred's direction.

"Yes." Alfred confirmed.

Turning away from them, Bruce made his way for the doorway. Dick hopped off the counter and caught up with Bruce. Gripping onto his sleeve, Dick was able to stop Bruce for a moment.

"Please don't lecture him." Dick begged.

"I need to speak with him." Bruce stated. "His attitude needs to be addressed."

"I don't want to upset him more. He's already mad at me and I don't want you to make it worse because of me."

"I know, but that doesn't mean he has the right to act the way he has been."

Removing his sleeve from Dick's grip, Bruce continued to make his way towards Damian's room.

Bruce quietly entered the room, spotting Damian in a chair, his back facing his father. Bruce would start to approach him, not wanting to say anything until he got close to him.

"It wasn't my fault father." Damian sighed, knowing why Bruce was there. "It was an accident."

"I don't care about that right now." Bruce replied, stepping into Damian's line of sight. "Dick made sure to reiterate that, so I'm letting it go. That does not, however, excuse you're attitude lately."

"What attitude?"

"The anger towards Dick. Ignoring him. I know he has gotten on your nerves in the past, to which you've lashed out at him for, but not on this scale. Care to elaborate?"

Damian didn't immediately respond.

"I hate this." Damian bitterly admitted.

"Hate what?" Bruce questioned, folding his arms.

"Everything."

Damian shot up from his seat, slightly startling Bruce. Damian began to pace around the room, unloading his frustration.

"I hate the situation. I hate that Grayson is a child. I hate his constant need for attention and supervision. Invading my personal space when he knows I want to be alone. What's worse, is that I hate that he's taking almost all of your time."

Bruce was shocked by Damian's rant. He couldn't believe that Damian was holding such resentment towards Dick. There was only one reason he could think that Damian would lash out this way.

"Are you jealous of Dick?" Bruce asked.

"No," Damian denied, "that's absurd."

"Is it? I know you're not saying this out of spite Damian, and I know you would never be this bitter towards Dick. However, you're latched onto the situation in a way that I've never seen you use before."

Damian stopped, taking a moment to process his father's observation. He could identify the truth behind Bruce's statement, but at the same time he didn't want to admit to it. However, as proud as he was, Damian knew he wasn't going to get away with not saying anything.

"Maybe I am." Damian finally admitted. "It's just, since the incident, I wish he never showed up in the first place."

Silence entered the room, allowing Damian's conclusion to sink in.

"I've caused you that much trouble?" A voice asked.

Bruce and Damian turned their attention to the doorway. With tears occupying the corners of his eyes, Dick was leaning on the door frame. Damian was genuinely surprised while Bruce was concerned. Guilt plagued his face as tears began to lightly streaked Dick's face. It wasn't hard to tell that Dick had heard everything.

"If I'm such a bother, why don't I just leave." Dick declared.

Dick instantly bolted from the scene.

"Dick!" Bruce shouted, running towards the door.

By the time he reached the door, Dick was already out of sight.

"We'll continue this later." Bruce relayed to Damian before exiting the room.

* * *

 **This is how I wanted to address Damian's jealousy. The reason I had him as distant and irritable was because I felt that this would be a good way for Damian to channel his jealousy, even if he didn't want to admit it. Him accidentally hitting Dick was the catalyst to get Bruce to talk to Damian. I also wanted Dick to catch them talking because that is what will lead them into the climax.**

 **I have closed the poll. The winner is the Crisis of Two Earths and Forever Evil combination story.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Now we get some Bruce and Damian time quality time as Bruce makes an effort to understand Damian's response.**

* * *

"You don't think he'd really leave the manor, do you?" Bruce questioned.

Dick had made it a point not to be found. Bruce had searched the manor clean trying to find him to no avail. Having just missed the drama, Alfred decided to assist. While Bruce checked the Batcave and every crack Dick could fit into, Alfred checked the bed room and his secret hiding spot.

"He was pretty upset." Alfred admitted. "And since we haven't found him, I'd say he has."

Bruce released an annoyed and concerned sigh. His mind shifted between both boys. Even though Dick could be left alone, whether or not Bruce wanted to let him in this state was another story, Bruce was concerned about what kind of danger the boy could get into. At the same time, he was upset with Damian and how he reacted.

"Why don't you talk to your son?" Alfred advised. "He may be jealous and bitter from this whole thing, but I don't think he really meant to hurt Master Richard."

"He's the reason that Dick ran off." Bruce accused.

"I'm aware. However, Master Damian is still a child himself. A child who has lived most of his life without any other child to keep him company. While I do not condone his behavior, something to take into consideration, is his perspective. He doesn't know how to approach someone younger than him nor is he fond of the fact this child is _stealing_ his father's attention. It is one thing for him to deal with Master Richard as an adult, but it's another dealing with him as a child. Talk about it. It can't hurt. He can help you find him."

"Fine."

* * *

Bruce trotted back up the stairs. He found Damian right where he left him, standing in the middle of his room. He could tell that he was tense since Damian's back was turned to his father. Damian was expecting a loud one sided discussion.

"I know, it's my fault." Damian spat.

Bruce didn't respond to the comment, taking up residents on the side of Damian's bed. Tapping a spot to his right, he hoped to bring the boy over. Damian didn't respond to the gesture.

"I just want to talk." Bruce admitted.

"But Grayson is out there."

"Yes, but if I want to proceed _our_ search for him, we need to talk."

Damian shifted slightly, turning in Bruce's direction. He wasn't sure that he liked being included in his father's search, but it wasn't like he'd have much of a choice. Damian would continue to stand for a moment before finally sitting next to Bruce. Damian didn't make eye contact with him, but Bruce knew he was listening.

"I'm not exactly proud of how you handled the situation." Bruce explained. "To be honest, I would have preferred that you came to me sooner. However, I will admit, I have been a little more attentive to Dick lately given the situation, and I guess I've kind of neglected to give you some father son quality time."

Damian whipped his head at his father, offensively puzzled by the statement.

"You may be the strong and independent Damian Wayne, but I know you enjoy having me to yourself sometimes. And with him like this you haven't been able to get that, or much time to yourself without intervention. For that I am sorry."

"You were just so attentive to him." Damian noted. "Like him being a child meant nothing."

"Well yeah. He was always a fun kid. A little reckless, but a fun kid."

"I didn't like it. He was never so needy."

"I know."

"I don't like kids much either."

"Of course not. You've never been one to allow them near you because of that. Considering a lot are as lively as Dick, if not more annoyingly so, I don't blame you. Although, not being raised around any, thanks to your mother I might add, probably contributed to it. This whole thing just proved that."

Damian turned away for a moment. Hearing his father try to understand his predicament was different. Not that it was bad, but it was different.

"You know I don't hate him, right?"

"I know."

"I messed up."

"Well, yeah. Though it doesn't help that he was always concerned about others. Even more so at that age."

"Let's go find him."

Damian hopped off the bed. He would make his way for the door with Bruce following not too far behind.

* * *

Batman and Robin were cruising through the city, hoping to find a lead. After checking a few obvious places, they had come to a bit of a standstill. The Batsignal would only hinder their search, but Batman knew they had to answer it.

"What do you need Gordon?" Batman inquired.

"Two Face got out." Gordon admitted. "We could use your help."

An annoyed sigh escaped the vigilante. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with him.

"Where was he last scene?"

"Heading towards the carnival grounds you stopped the Joker at."

Batman made his way towards the end of the roof, ready to disappear.

"I would hurry if I were you. We got a tip that a child was seen heading in the same direction a couple minutes before him and his crew."

* * *

Dick had entered the park grounds with ease. While it was it was looking a little more vacant since he was there a few days ago. Most of the attractions had been taken down, with a couple of stands still up.

Movement would catch his eye. As he turned his attention in the direction of the commotion, alarm would set in. Recognizing Two Face and some of his men, Dick immediately hid behind one of the stands. Crouching down, Dick kept quiet as they entered. He could barely hear what they were conversing about. He was only able to make out how Two Face wanted to plan their next heist, but not much on the details. Dick refused to move, not wanting to be seen.

After a few minutes, Dick was going to try and escape from the same way he came, hoping to get away. However, the moment he turned around he would be greeted by one of Two Face's men.

* * *

 **Just for clarification, several hours has gone by between this chapter and the last. While the last chapter kind of ended up at some point in the afternoon, this one ends at night.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Alright** **another chapter.**

* * *

Dick was brought out of his hiding spot. As the man carried him from the back of his shirt, Dick tried to kick his way out of his grasp. The man's grip wouldn't falter as he threw Dick in front of the entire group.

"Found this hiding." The man declared.

Slightly annoyed with the body in front of him, Two Face would approach the child. Grabbing Dick's chin, he forced the boy to look at him. Dick refused to hide his disdain as Two Face studied him, growling at him. Dick just hoped that Two Face wouldn't recognize him.

"What would you like me to do with the runt?"

Two Face stared at the child for a moment longer before responding.

"They wouldn't want the death of a child on their hands." Two Face noted. "We'll walk free in exchange for his life. If they try to stop us he'll die."

A Batarang would scrape the top of Two Face's hand, forcing him to release Dick. Everyone focused their attention in the direction opposite of where the Batarang's landed.

"Let him go Harvey." Batman's voice boomed.

Dick was relieved to see him, but noticed the lack of a certain Boy Wonder. The first thing to come to his mind was Damian's rant, wondering if he really skipped out on patrol because of him.

"Batman." He greeted.

Two Face snapped his fingers, a change in plan coming to him immediately. One of his henchmen grabbed a chunk of Dick's hair, yanked his head up, and hovered a knife over his throat. A slight flinch escaped Batman as he took a step forward. As a result, the knife drew closer to Dick's jugular, forcing Batman to stop. Dick's breathing started to slow down. Not wanting to take any chances, he didn't move.

"Now, now. We don't need you doing anything drastic Batman." Two Face stated, bringing out his coin. "How about we let the coin to decide. Heads he lives. Tails he dies."

He flipped the coin, covering it once it landed on the top of his hand. The air was quiet as Two Face removed his hand and studied the face it landed on. Looking to the henchman, Two Face gave him a nod. Batman twitched, knowing what that meant.

Without warning, Robin would swoop in, knocking the henchman over. Robin kept close to Dick. The other henchmen circled them. Robin wedged himself between them and Dick, which was a bit of a surprise to Dick considering his behavior earlier.

Throwing several small explosives, Batman provided an opening. Pushing Dick, Damian wanted to guide him to safety.

"Get out of here." Robin demanded.

Dick nodded, running of. With Dick out of harm's way, Damian attacked the other henchmen while Batman dealt with Two Face.

With enough distance between him and the others, Dick stopped. Turning his attention towards the scene. As inclined as he was to hide or even leave, he figured that it would be easier if he didn't go any farther. Being as dark out as it was, finding him would prove to be difficult.

His attentions would bounce between the two for a while before ultimately deciding to focus on Robin. He was taking down the men like it was nothing. It wasn't until something caught his eye that Dick started to worry.

The henchman with the knife had gotten up and was glaring at Robin, the knife twirling in his hand. Robin was too focused on the other henchmen to notice him slowly approaching him. Going against Robin's order, Dick would bolt in his direction.

"Robin!" Dick yelled, knocking the boy out of the way.

The knife would go flying as Dick pushed him out of the way.

"Grayson!" Robin shouted.

Dick laid on the ground clenching onto his side. Robin did not like the implication that his body displaying as he ran to the child's side. Rolling Dick onto his back, his sight immediately focused on Dick's ribcage. The tip of the knife had pierced between the fifth and sixth rib, blood entering the world. Robin's hand would flinch above the weapon, not wanting to remove it and unintentionally cause further damage.

"You idiot." Robin lectured. "I told you to leave."

"You were going to get hit." Dick painfully sighed, immediately hissing after. "I couldn't let that happen."

"I could handle it."

"I know."

"Then why do it? With how I've been acting, I don't deserve it."

"Because you're my little brother, and I have to protect you."

Robin was a little dumbfounded by the response. The fact that Dick was still trying to be the eldest, even with where his existence currently stood, was a surprise. Even after what he said, Dick was still trying to be a caring big brother.

Another hiss would emerge from Dick, disturbing Robin's train of thought. Dick was beginning to lose consciousness.

"Don't you dare close your eyes Grayson." Robin ordered.

"Sorry." Dick replied. "I know I upset you the last few days, but I just want you to know that I don't blame you."

Unable to keep himself up anymore, Dick would slip into unconsciousness. His breathing became shallower. Robin could tell that Dick wasn't going to last long, and he was pissed. He was going to die, and regret was the only thing to cross Robin's mind.

Turning his attention to the henchman that threw the knife, he wasn't going to let it go unnoticed. The henchman's face went from cruel pleasure to unsettled anxiety. Not giving the man a moment to think, Robin lunged at him.

He would tackle the man and start punching him. His anger boiled over and there was no sign of him stopping.

"Robin." Batman called, which seemed to go over the boy's head. "Robin!"

Robin stopped, finally hearing his father's voice. He would briefly stare at the henchman, who bloody and thankfully unconscious. Taking a jagged breath, he would remove himself from the situation and approached his father.

Batman was carrying Dick. The blade had been removed from his side and wrapped with a piece of Batman's cape. A spare domino mask was placed over his eyes, for the inevitable encounter with Gordon and the cops.

"He will be alright." Batman stated. "Let's go home."

Robin nodded as the flashing lights of the police cars engulfed them. They began to make their way towards the Batmobile, only stopping when Gordon exited his car.

"Thank you Batman." Gordon greeted. "We can take it from here."

"No problem." Batman responded.

Gordon observed the bundle in the vigilante's arms.

"So there really was a kid here. Wait. Is that…"

"Yeah."

"Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine, just needs some medical attention."

"Then I'll get out of your way. See you next time Batman."

Keeping his word, Gordon joined his men.

* * *

 **Yes I went there. I wanted Dick to step in and save Damian, but rather than getting shot (since I used that in Breaking You) I thought I'd have him kind of get stabbed. I would like to apologize if this and the last chapter or two haven't been the best. I've been trying to get through them as well as possible. I would also like to mention that the next chapter will be the last.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Here we are with the final chapter. I meant to upload this yesterday, but I needed to think of a good way to conclude it (something I had a hard time doing at eleven last night). Hopefully it came out good.**

* * *

"Oh dear." Alfred gasped, as Bruce carried Dick over to the medical bed. "What happened?"

"Took a knife for Damian." Bruce replied. "Get me a breathing mask."

Damian followed his father's instruction as Alfred went for the stitching equipment. Dick's breathing was still troubled. It tried to regulate itself, but breaths were shallow and slow. Bruce gently removed the homemade bandage and the shirt to get a better look at the wound. It was a decent sized scar, but it didn't look like it ran too deep, something Bruce was mentally thankful for.

Alfred would take note of its size before beginning to clean it. When all the dried blood was removed, he began to stitch it up.

Damian would return with the requested instrument and latched it onto Dick for Bruce. Setting up its portable mechanism, he let it do its magic. The interior of the mask would go between a light fog to clear. Several moments would go by before his breathing finally appeared to regulate normally.

A sigh of relief filled the room as everyone watched Alfred do his job. Thankfully, Dick didn't awaken during the procedure. When Alfred finished he took a few steps back.

"That should do it." Alfred sighed.

"Why don't you get to bed." Bruce recommended. "I can take it from here."

"I'll stay here." Damian declared. "It's my fault that he ended up in this situation, so it's only fair that I stay for the rest of it."

Pulling up a chair, Damian would comfortable place himself next to Dick's bedside. Knowing that Damian wasn't going to retreat, and that Dick was in good hands, Bruce retreated from the two and went to the computer. Getting some work done would provide a good source to kill time. Alfred would not stay around. As much as he wanted to stay around, he was tired and decided to take Bruce's suggestion.

* * *

A few hours would pass as Damian began to get drowsy. Eyes began to droop as he held his head up in his hands. He was about to fall asleep when movement jolted him into a more alert state. Even Bruce stop what he was doing and approached the duo.

A groan emitted from Dick as his body began to twitch. Eyes began to creak open as he began to adjust to the setting. Dick would turn his attention to the two observers, who appeared relieved with his conciousness.

"What did I miss?" Dick asked, slowly sitting up.

"Not much." Bruce admitted. "Caught Two Face and got you patched up."

"That would explain the slight pain in my side. I'm sorry for running off."

"It's okay. You're home now and that's all that matters."

His attention would shift to Damian, who hadn't said a word. Remembering what had lead up to the current situation, Dick's expression to one of guilt.

"I'm sorry for what I've done." Dick apologized. "I didn't mean to agitate you and make you feel neglected."

Damian didn't respond to the apology, which concerned both Bruce and Dick. Dick would shift his position so that his legs drooped over the side of the bed.

"Damian? Are you okay?"

A hand would reach out for Damian, but was grabbed by one of Damian's. Without warning, Damian would stand up and hug Dick. Dick's eyes widened, shocked by the gesture. He tested to see what wiggle room he had, only to find that Damian gave him none.

"What were you thinking?" Damian lectured. "You could have been killed."

"It's okay." Dick comforted. "I didn't."

Damian's hold somehow managed to tighten. Dick's lungs felt crushed, like they were losing the air that they had just recently regulated.

"It's not okay. You could have died and it's my fault because of my anger. If anyone should apologize it should be me."

A grin graced Dick's face, pleasantly surprised by Damian's apology. He knew the gesture was hard, but that didn't diminish its significance. Resting his chin on Damian's shoulder, Dick finally returned the hug.

"I forgive you."

* * *

Several days had finally passed and Dick wound had cleared up. As much as Bruce wanted to give him the antidote the morning after saving Dick, he wanted to make sure the wound healed enough not to cause any problems.

During those few days, Damian had finally interacted with Dick. They trained, talked and even played a few rounds of chess together. Damian had not left the child's side, a habit that he had once lectured his father for doing.

But with his wound now cleared, it was time to turn Dick to normal. Mixing it in a glass of water, Bruce gave it to him. Recalling Poison Ivy's warning about his growth, Bruce advised Dick to take it in the privacy of his own room. Dick wasn't bothered by the suggestion, not wanting to create an awkward situation, as he entered his room.

Bruce and Damian would wait outside of the bedroom. The air was quiet with the only sound being the tapping of Dick's feet on the other side of the door. They were both anxious, hoping that the antidote would work.

The doorknob began to wiggle as it began to turn. The door would open, exposing it secret. Stepping out of the room, the now adult Dick confirmed their anxious hopes. They didn't say anything, resulting in Dick feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Well?" Dick inquired.

"It worked." Bruce sighed with relief.

"That it did."

"How do you feel?"

"Besides the bad taste in my mouth, I'm feeling pretty good."

"It's great to have you back to normal." Damian stated, with a slight amount of disappointment in his voice.

"Hey," Dick confronted, approaching Damian, "just because I'm back to normal doesn't mean we have to stop having fun. I've got two more days of vacation time, why don't' we use it to its fullest. No strings attached."

Grabbing Damian's arm, Dick dragged the boy down the hallway. He was ready to spoil Damian, no matter how much he protested.

* * *

 **As always, I'd like to thank everyone who has read this and for everyone who's commented, followed, and/or Favorited this story. I'm glad that you've enjoyed this, it was a fun story to write.**

 **From here I will begin to work on the stories that had won in the polls I did. I've already gotten started on the first chapter of the modern take of Bruce Wayne Loses Guardianship of Dick Grayson, which will be posted soon, as well as the first chapter of the tattoo story (which I wanted to get a bit of a head start on)**


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